Improvement in printing-presses



UNTTED T nTEs PATENT OEEIGE.

VALTER II. FORBUSH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRINTING-PRESSES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 86,0611, dated January19, 1869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER H. FoRBUsH, ofthe cityof Buft`alo,county ofErie, and State of N ew York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Printing-Presses 5 and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying dra-wings, making a part of thisspecication.

rlhe first feature of my invention relates to a press having astationary form-bed and a vibratory platen, which receives its motionfrom a driving-crank shaft, acting through side connecting-rods,attaching to the platen above the axis of vibration; and it consists inlocating the axial shaft upon which the platen vibrates in rear of theplaten, in a plane extending from its lower edge at right angles to itsface, and supporting said shaft in slots in the side frames at rightangles to thetype-bed; and, further, in providing the platen orplaten-arms with bearing-surfaces at right angles to its face, inconnection with similar bearing-surfaces upon the side frames, at rightangles to the type-bed, from which construction and arrangement of partsan improved movement of the platen will result-viz: first, the platenwill be caused to move at right angles to the type-bed in giving theimpression, by reason of the bearing-surfaces on the platen coming incontact with those upon the side frames, and preventing furthervibratory motion,thus giving a fair and true impression; second, theplaten will be held most firmly in giving the impression, by reasonofthe relative positions which the axis of vibration, bearing-surfaces,and cranks will then occupy, thus preventing any slur in the impression5 third, the vibratory motion of the platen will take place .immediatelyupon leaving the impression, by

reason of the relative position of the axis of vibration to theplaten-face, thus giving such ample time for the vibration ot' theplaten as to allow the printed sheet to be removed therefrom and a newsheet laid thereon with ease and facility.

The second feature of my invention relates to the construction of anink-distributing tablc, to be arranged above the type-bed, with its facein the same plane with the face of the type, the hiking-rollers beingmade to traverse both form and table in succession and back at eachimpression, and itconsists in making said table in two parts, the upperpart being stationary, and the lower part made to vibrate on an axis atright angles to its face, the vibration in one direction taking placewhile the ink-rollers are traversing the form, and the return vibrationwhile they traverse the stationary part of the table, from whichconstruction a movement of the distributingplate is obtained after eachpassage of the A inking-rollers, being a double movement to cachimpression, resulting in a more perfect distribution of the ink.

'Ihe third feature of my invention relates to the nippers by which thesheet is clamped upon the platen while beingcarried to and from theimpression; and it consists in forming several nipper-points on one edgeof the nipper-inger, by notching the same, so that, by the use of shortguides applied to the tympan in such position that said Dipper-pointswill strike between them, the sh eet may be fed up to said guides andclamped, however small the margin between the printed matter and theedge of the sheet.

The fourth feature 'of my invention relates to mechanism for stoppingthe motion of the press promptly and easily when required; and itconsistsin arranging and connectinga brakelever to act upon thefly-wheel with a beltshifter, by which the driving-belt is thrown from atight to a loose pulley in such a manner that the action of thebelt-shifter will` be followed by that of the brake-lever, and both willbe produced by one and the same act of the pressman. v

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a side elevation of a pressembodying my said improvements. Fig. II is a sectional elevation. Fig.III is a front elevation, and Fig. IV is a sectional plan of same.

Like letters refer to like parts in each of the figures.

A A represent the side frames, supporting the type-bed shafts andoperating parts of the press in the relative positions and arrangementhereinafter described, they having a proper contour for such purpose. Brepresents the' type-bed, which is located between the side frames in avertical position, and is secured thereto by being bolted to appropriatelugs on the side frames. The form of type 'is locked in a chase, B1, ina common manner, and secured to the type-bed by hook-lugs at its loweredge and screw-clamp at its upper edge, in a common manner.

G represents the platen, and C1 the axial shaft upon which it vibrates,it being connected to said shaft by the platen-arms D. Its connectionwith the platen-arms is effected by theimpression-screws d1, one neareach corner. By these screws the platen is adjusted to give a properimpression, in a common and well-` boxes G2 are at the end of the slotremoved from the type-bed is such that when the platen is vibratedtoward the type-bed until its face is parallel thereto a smallinterval-say, a

quarter of an inchonly will remain between its face and the face of thetype.

E represents the crank-shaft, located in rear of the type-bed andopposite the center thereof, and supported in suitable journal-bearingsin the side frames. The ends of this shaft overhang the side frames, andcarry crankwheels E1 and E2, the motion of which is communicated to theplaten, causing the same to vibrate back and forth, or to and from thetype-bed, at each revolutiorrthereof by the attachment of the sideconnecting-rods F to the endsl of a shaft, G, passing through theplatenarms D and through the 'segmental slots H in the side frames.These slots have the axial shaft as a center, and are of such length asto allow the required vibration of the platen to take place. The lowersides of these slots, at the ends nearest the type-bed, terminate inbearing-surfaces H1, at right angles to the type-bed.

The platen-arms D have bosses D2 projecting through the slots H in theside frames, the lower side of these bosses having ilat bearingsurfacesd3, at right angles to the face of the platen. The relative position ofthese bearings d3 and theframe-bearings lill to the axial shaft C1 issuch that, as the platen vibrates toward the type-bed, they will come incontact with each other when the platen shall have assumed its parallelposition before described. Any farther vforward motion of the platenwill consequently require that it should move in the direction of thesebearing-surfaces, which will necessarily be at right angles to theforni-bed, this being the direction of the frame-bearings H1. Duringthis direct movement of the platen the axial shaft G1 will move in theslots C3, which are parallel to said frame-bearings H'. The impressionbeing given at the end of this movement ofthe platen, such impressionmust be necessarily fair and true. After the impression is given thereturn movement of the platen begins, the first part of such movementbeing, of course, at right angles to the form, succeeded by a vibrationupon the axial shaft.

Goiled springs I are applied between the boxes G2 and the ends of theslots, which, being compressed in the forward movement, will, by theirreaction, return the boxes and axial shaft until the boxes strike theend of the slots C3 before the return vibratory motion will begin. Bythis means the necessary clearance -of the platen from the form will beobtained before the platen begins to vibrate.

The return vibration of the platen continues until its face becomesnearly horizontal, so that the pressman may easily remove the printedsheet and lay on a fresh one, to be printed at the next impression.

It will be observed that when the platen is in its forward position,parallel to the form, and the bearing-surfaces d3 of the platen-arms incontact with the frame-bearin gs H1, the line of draft of the cranks andtheir points of attachment to the platen will bear such relativeposition to the axial shaft Cl as to compel the platen to move steadilyto and over the impression, and that this will be true whether theweight of the form be above or below said points of attachment; for, ifbelow, the bearin g-surfaces d3 and H1 will become fulcra about whichthe platen will tend to turn, which tendency will be resisted by thebearing of the axial shaft in the frame-slots and the leverage which itsparticular location gives to it; and if above the points of attachment,themselves become such fulcra, and any tendency to turn thereon willlikewise be resisted by said bearing of the axial shaft.

It may further be observed that no considerable time is lost in givingthe impressionthat is to say, the platen begins its return vibrationalmost immediately upon leaving the form, so that it has very nearlyone-half of the time allowed for one complete movement of the press tomake such return movement, and a like time to make the next forwardmovement. The platen, therefore, moves with minimum speed, so that thepressman may feed the press with the greatest ease and facility, and themovements thereof be most steady and uniform.

I will now return to a description of thc shaft G, by which theconnection of the side rods F with the platen is effected. The ends ofthis shaft are turned down to form wrists Gl for said rods F to takehold of, said wrists being eccentric to said shaft. A hand-lever, G2, isapplied to one end of this shaft between the connecting-rod andplaten-arm, and is secured against angular movement thereon by a key orfeather in said shaft, with corresponding seat in said lever, the fit ofsaid feather in said seat being easy, so that the lever may movelongitudinally on said shaft.

The lever is forced against the platen-arm by a coiled spring, G3,interposed between the connecting-rod and lever, and has a V-shapedprojection on its platen-arm side, which platenarm has a correspondingnotch,into which said V-projection is forced by the action of saidI'platen is on the impression the center of the shaft G, the centers ofthe eccentric-wrists, and the center of the crank-shaft will all lie inthe same plane, thereby preventing any strain upon the locking device atthe time of giving the impression.

An angular movement being imparted to the shaft G by the pressman movingthe handlever G2, which will readily unlock by the yielding of thespring G, the position of the eccei'it-ric-wrists will change, bringingthem nearer to the crank-shaft, and thereby virtually lengthening theconnections F, and consequently shortening by so much the forwardmovement of the platen, thus preventing the same from giving animpression.

A second notch or stop on the platen-arm is provided to regulatetheamount of angular movement of the lever, ninety degrees being the properamount to allow for such movement.

The hand-lever, beinglocated outside of the frame, may be readilygrasped by the pressman, and operated as above described, whenever, fromany cause, such as a failure to feed a sheet in time, or to allow morethan one passage of the inking-rollers over the form, it may be desiredto prevent the taking of an impression.

J J l represent the ink-distributing table, which is located above thetype-bed, with its face in the saine plane with the face of the type.-The upper part, J, is stationary, being connected to the type-bed bythe arms J2,

. bolted by bolts J 3 to lugs cast thereon, as represented. 'lhe part J1is made capable of lateralvibration upon an axial pin, K, at rightangles to its face, being operated as hereinafter described.

L represents the inking-rollers, supported in a sliding frame composedof the slide-blocks ZI and cross-rods l2. This sliding frame runs ingrooves Z3 in the side frames parallel to the face of the type. Theconnection of the inkrollers with said slide-blocks is effected by thespring-carriers I4, so that-the rollers may have a proper pressure uponthe type and distributing-table.

M represents a rock-shaft, supported in proper journal-bearings in theside frames in front of the type-bed, and carrying two long levers, M1,keyed thereon, and connecting with the slide-blocks Z1 by the links m2.

One end of rock-shaft M overhangs the side frame, and has a short lever,M3, keyed thereon, and the crank-wheel El has an eccentric, E3, on itsinner side, from which a connection is formed with said short lever M3by the eccentric-rod m4 and strap m5, so that the revolution of thecrank-shaft will cause the eccentric E, acting through the medium of therod m4, levers M8 and Ml, and links m2, to give a reciprocatin g motionto the inking-rollers over the type and ink-distributing table.

The position of the eccentric E, with reference to the cranks El and E2,is such that the inking-rollers will be at the upper extreme of theirmovements and on the inkin g-table when the platen is on the impression,and at the lower eXtreme when the platen has vbrated back from thetype-bed.

The vibration of the movable plate Jl of the ink-table is effected asfollows: N is a tappet-rod, working in dovetail guide in the bed-plate,and having at each end a lateral lug, nl, the contiguous slide-block ofthe inkroller frame having a lug, n2, projecting therefrom, so as tostrike the lugs of the tappet-rod as said slide-block approaches theupper and lower extremes of its movement, and gi ve movement thereto.Said ta-ppet-rod has also a lug, a3, projecting toward the ink-table,and connecting therewith by a thumb-screw, n4, so that it will impartits movement thereto.

The distance between the lugs nl is less than the movement of theink-roller frame by the amount of movement required to operate theink-table-that is, the plate J l thereof. The movement-s of the saidplate will, therefore, take place as the ink-rollers reach the extremesof their movement, vibrating in one direction when they are on the form,and in the other when they are on the stationary plate J, therebycausing the position of the plate J l and the ink placed thereon tochange at each passage of the rollers over the same, thus crossing thegrain of the ink at each passage of the rollers, and effecting a mostthorough distribution thereof.

The bolts J 3, which secure the ink-table to the type-bed, act ashinges, upon which the same may be turned down into a horizontalposition for convenience in cleaning.

I will now describe the nippers for clamping the sheets upon the platen.

O represents a slotted bar across the lower side of the platen, andhinged at the ends to brackets o1 secured to the platen, the axis ot'the hinge being in line with the lower edge of the platen-face.

P P1 represent the Dipper-fingers, which are secured at one end by boltsto the slotted bar O, the slottin g of the bar permitting their lateraladjustment to suit the size of sheet to be clamped.

P2 represents a lever projecting from one end of bar O, and provided atits free end with awrist-pin projecting into the slot of the cam Q, bywhich the nippers are operated, said cam being stationary and secured tothe contiguous side frame.

Vhen the platen is in position to receive the sheet, the nipper-ngers PP require to stand at an angle of forty-five degrees, or more, to theplaten-face, so that they may not interfere with the laying on of thesheet, and they further require to come down upon and clamp the sheetwhen the platen in its vibration toward the form shall have reached anangle of forty-uve degrees, or nearly so, to the formbed, and tocontinue to clamp the sheet until the platen shall return to said pointafter giving the impression, and then rise to the position beforedescribed, to permit the removal and laying on of asheet. The cam Q, togive this movement, requires to have a part, ql, struck from the axialshaft C1, as a center, which will maintain the clamping action duringthe required time, and a vertical part, g2, which raises the nippers atthe right time, as described.

The left-hand nipper-nger P is notched upon its inside edge, so as toform nipperpoints P3, the functions of which will appear from thefollowing: Thercommon manner of applying feed-guides to the platen is toirst take an impression upon the tympan, and then paste thereon thinnarrow strips of wood, one parallel to the lower edge of the platen andone at right angles thereto, on. the left-hand side of the pressman as11e stands in position to feed. This left-hand guide prevents the use ofthe left-hand nipper except when the desired margin on that side of thesheet is greater than the width of said nipper, and as one nipper isfrequently found to beinsufficient to withdraw the sheet from the type,great inconvenience is experienced in consequenee.

The notched edge and nipper-points P3 overcome this difficulty fully, aswith them it is simply necessary to make the left guide in one or moreshort pieces, and apply it or them to the tympan, so that said points P3may strike between them and clamp the paper at such places, so that,whatever the margin to be left on the sheet, it may always be clampedupon Yboth edges, and its proper removal from the shaft, located belowthe crank-shaft E, and v supported in appropriate journal-bearings inthe side frames. This shaft carries a pinion, S1, gearing with cogs onthe periphery of the crank-wheel E2, and thereby imparting motion to thecrank-shaft E, and thence to the various parts of the machine. Upon theleft-hand end of this shaft is located a fast drivingpulley, T, andloose pulley T', and upon the opposite end a y-wheel, U. V represents abelt-shifter fork, attached to a rod, V1, passing through the side frameand across the press. V2 is a rock-shaft, at right angles to said rod,supported by lugs on the right side frame. V3 is a lever on saidrock-shaft, taking hold of the contiguous end of rod V1. V4 is afootlever on the front end of said shaft, by which the pressman, bymeans of his foot, may operate the belt-shifter to throw the belt fromfast to loose pulley, or vice versa, a downward movement of thefoot-lever being the one employed to throw the belt from the fast ontothe loose pulley. V5 represents a brake-lever on said rock-shaft, soset, with reference to the iiy-wheel and belt-shifting lever, as that itwill come in contact with the periphery of the flywheel immediatelyafter the belt shall have passed onto the loose pulley.

The action of the brake-lever, owing to the driving-power being firsttransferred to they loose pulley, will be to stop the motion of theparts almost instantaneously. The convenience and utility of thisfeature are manifest.

W W represent the feed-tables, arranged with reference to platen, in acommon Aand well-known manner.

Having thus described my improvements, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination and described relative arrangement, with the platen,of the axial shaft G1, bearing-surfaces d3 and H1, drivingcranks E El,and connecting-rods F, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The ink-distributing table, composed of the stationary part J andvibrating part J1, arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

3. A Dipper-finger, P, having nipper-points P3, formed by notching itsedge, when coinbined with a platen, and operating substantially asdescribed.

4.. The described arrangement of the rockshaft V2, foot-lever V,shifting-lever V3, rod V', and fork V with the brake-lever V5, fast andloose pulleys T T, and fly-wheel U, to operate as set forth.

W. H. FORBUSH.

NVitnesses ALEXR. A. C. KLAUCKE, SAMUEL SMITH.

